VATICAN CITY — After the bells tolled for the noon Angelus today, the melodies and drone of Scottish bagpipes could be heard near St. Peter’s Square.

Pipe Sergeant Mauro Nenci of Rome helped catch the attention of passersby and media as part of the Archdiocese of St. Andrews & Edinburgh’s announcement of the development of “The Catholic App.”

The new GPS-powered app is meant to help people find the nearest church offering Mass and confession in the way most people today find things: with their smart phone or tablet, Archbishop Leo Cushley said.

Mauro Nenci on bagpipes and Archbishop Leo Cushley of St. Andrews & Edinburgh presenting a new app Nov. 22 that uses GPS to help people find church Mass and confession times. (Photo courtesy of the Scottish Catholic Media Office)

“Websites are losing popularity. What is needed to engage with the mobile generation is an app that is smart and personal, an app that is like a companion, a friend that takes the initiative to inspire you — that’s the vision behind the Catholic App,” said Maciej Zurawski, founder and CEO of Musemantik, the Scottish tech company designing the app.

Inspirational messages, news and parish information will also be among some of the app features.

The archdiocese hopes to release the app early next year, but it also needs as many dioceses as possible across the world to take part, offering needed data (Mass and Confession times, location etc…) to make the app even more effective, said David Kerr, the archdiocese’s director of communications.

Check out the interactive mock up here: https://marvelapp.com/9faa1d/screen/10012695

Dioceses, parishes and individuals interested in finding out more can contact the developer at catholicapp@musemantik.com or David Kerr.